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WILLIAM WEST 



OF 



SCITUATE, R. I. 



FARMER. SOLDIER. STATESMAN 



By 



GEORGE M. WEST 



St. Andrews. Fla.. June. 1919 



PANAMA CITY PUBLISHING CO. St. Aadnvi. FlorMa 



TS3 



Gift 
Author 
DEC 2 l»l» 



K 



This edition is limited to fifty numbered 
and signed copies of v>hich thiis is No.^i5__ 



To My Great Grandsons 



Whom I trust will study the pait. as well 
as look into the future, and always remember 
that "People who take no pride in the noble 
achievements of remote ancestors will never 
achieve anything worthy to be remembered 
with pride by remote descendants." 



PREFACE 



My purpose in collecting data and putting forth 
this memoir of William West, of Scituate. R. I., is that 
a forgotten loyal citizen of that State may receive such 
recognition as his patriotic and zealous work entitles 
him to, and incidentally to complete an unwritten 
chapter of family history. 

One cannot read of the many services rendered 
his State by William West without being surprised that 
there is no public record of his death, his burial place, 
or aside from the works of Beeman and Walker, of his 
life in Scituate. 

This little memoir, though fragmentary and lack- 
ing in literary style, seeks to set forth all the facts that 
the author could discover relative to William West's 
life, and is issued with the hope that it will incite 
Rhode Island's hi.storians and scholars to more fully in- 
vestigate his history and complete the work here begun. 

The writer has spent .some twenty-five years in .se- 
curing the facts herein set forth, having visited the 
West homestead in Scituate, searched the records 
there, and talked with some of the olde.st Scituaie in- 
habitants; carefully examined the Colonial Records of 
Rhode Island and Massachusetts, as well as their Vital 
Records and Town Hi.stories; the records at Washing- 
ton relative to Rhode Island in the Revolutionary War. 
and the Pension Records for that State in that war; 
e.xamined the Census Records for the State for 1774 
and 1790; looked through a large number of contem- 
porary State newspapers; corresponded with all the 
descendants of William West that could be found, and 
obtained from them family records; read numerous 
books on early New England and Rhode Island his- 
tory; and received much valuable information from J. 
N. Arnold. Rhode Island's historian; Miss Georgiana 
Guild, genealogist, of Providence; Byron O. Angell 
and Cyrus Walker, of Scituate, and C. S. Pierce, 
genealogist, of Springfield. Mass., to all of whom the 
thanks of the author are hereby extended. 

GEORGE M. WEST. 
St. Andrews. Fla.. June. 1919. 



William West 

OF 

SCITUATE. R. I. 



The silent influence of the primeval forests, and 
the everlasting granite hills that rise, terrace above 
terrace, from the wonderful bay that bisects Rhode Is- 
land, had much to do with the formation of the charac- 
ter of the early settlers of that State, knitting into their 
inmost fibre that stability and ruggedness for which 
they were noted. 

While the yearning for a greater personal and re- 
ligious liberty may have been the prevailing motive for 
the migration of many of these pioneers from the Mas- 
sachusetts colonies, inseparable from it was that long- 
ing for the ownership of land which was their heritage 
from a long line of forbears in Old England, where the 
condition of the farmer and laborer forbade their ac- 
quiring the lands they worked, which were under the 
control of the Lords of the Manor, and the Monasteries. 

Undoubtedly such were the impelling impulses 
that caused many of the descendants of Francis West,' 
of Duxbury, Mass., to remove to the western shores of 
Narragansett Bay, in Rhode Island, and westward 
along the Providence and Hartford pike, into Windham 
and Tolland counties, in Connecticut. But the emi- 
grant remained at Du.xbury throughout his life. 




View of the house from the south-east, showing the ful! 
story opening out or. the lawn from the basement, also height of 
the attic story. Also the location of the building on the side hill, 
which is a c;ranite rocky projection. 



WILLIAM WEST 3 

Peter West, the third son of Francis, resided at 
Duxbury, and cared for his father in his old age, and 
his father's estate, which amounted to hut sixteen 
pounds and fifteen shillings, was given him by the Pro- 
bate court. 

Peter West had nine children,- all born in Dux- 
bury. His first son, the fifth child, was named Wil- 
liam. He was born May 4th. 1683. This .son William 
was married in 1709 to Abiah Sprague, of Hingham, 
Mass. Either before his marriage, or soon after, he re- 
moved to North Kingston. R. L. where he probably re- 
sided the remainder of his life. The North Kingston 
records show that he and wife. Abiah. signed a deed 
to land on November 28th. 1711, and again in April, 
1713. Other deeds made by William West about 1721 
have no wife's name attached, and it is possible that 
Abiah had died previous to that date. 

The descendants of Almy (West) Battey. a daugh- 
ter of William West, Jr.. state that Almy had told them 
that her grandmother's name was Sarah. There is a 

record in the North Kingston marriages of West 

and Sarah Baker being married in 1731. This might 
have been William We.st, Sr.. but the christian name is 
not legible, nor is there any proof that this was the 
Sarah he married, if he married a Sarah, as he might 
have married earlier than this date, and this .statement 
handed down by the daughter Almy is the only evi- 
dence at hand of William West of King.ston marrying 
other than Abiah Sprague. 

2. "Peter West, son of Kinncis. died IVli. 20th. 1720-21; married I'a- 
tiencc . who died May Slh. 1725. in Plymi.ton. Mass. Ho lived in Dux- 
bury. Mass.. and inherited his father's estate. He also had a Krant west of 
South River. Children born in Duxbury: Mary, Oct. 3rd. 1675 who died 
younu; Marcaret. born March I2th. ISTS. married Jonathan Bryant of Plymp- 
ton: Esther, born Sept. 20th, 16S0: Ann. born Feb. 16th. 1682, married May 
7th. 170.=;. to Elisha Curtis: William, born May 4th. 16«3. married Abiah 
Spraeue of Hiniiham : Mary, born Dec. 7th, 16SB; Benjamin, born July 7th. 
168K; E'.isha. born March 2nd. 16»3. married (first) Dec. 10th, 1718, Mary 

Hearse, (second) Martha . lived in Kingston and Pembroke. Mass.; 

Samuel, born April 4th. 16fl7."— From Dr. Cornwall's article in N. K. H. & C. 
KeKister. and Winsor's "History of Duxbury.'! 



WILLIAM WEST 



Family records of various descendants of the fam- 
ily show that William West, Jr., of North King.ston, 
was the son of William We.st, son of Peter. But there 
are no records in North Kingston, or elsewhere in 
Rhode Island that give the least information as to the 
children of William West and Abiah Sprague, or of 
William West and a second wife, or of the birth of Wil- 
liam West, of Scituate. of his marriage, or of the birth 
of his childi-en. 

The family record in the family of the writer 
states that William West, son of William, son of Peter, 
was born in North King.ston, and lived 83 years. As 
Beaman, on the authority of those who attended his 
funeral, states that he died about 1816, that would 
place his birth in North Kingston at about 17.'?,3, which 
is probably not far from the correct date. 

He had evidently acquired land in North Kingston 
at an early date, as he afterwards sold land owned by 
him in that town, as is shown by deeds on record 
there. In fact William West was a large land owner, 
and owned lands in various parts of Connecticut as 
well as Rhode Island. 

When he became financially embarrassed in 1785, 
he applied to the legislature, and was granted leave to 
carry on a lottery to dispose of some of his property, 
which was scheduled as being a farm of 200 acres at 
Point Judith, in South Kingston, with 20 acres of salt 
marsh near; one farm in Killingly, Conn., in Thomp- 
son parish, containing 400 acres; also 200 acres of 
timber land in Killingly, Conn.; 300 acres in the town 
of Lyndon, Conn.; 380 acres in the town of Weston, 
Conn. ; and 450 acres in the town of Foster, R. I. There 
were also 60 cows, 8 oxen, 5 horses, and 100 sheep 
listed. Lands in this lottery did not include his home 
farm of 500 acres, but show seven other tracts contain- 
ing 1,950 acres. ■'' 

3. Cyrus Walk.T, in N<.t,.s ..n .SrituatP. 



WILLIAMWEST 5 

This energetic, popular, and prosperous young 
man undoubtedly, as was the custom in that day, mar- 
ried young, perhaps between his nineteenth and twen- 
ty-first year. He married Elener Brown, possibly a 
daughter of Charles Brown, though there were many 
families bearing the name of Brown residing in North 
Kingston at that time, the census of 1774 ^ enumerat- 
ing nine, nearly all of which included children over IG 
years of age at that date. 

The first authentic record we have of William 
We.sl, Jr., is that he was licensed as an inn keeper in 
Scituate in 1758', and that must have been about the 
time he came to that town from North Kingston, at 
which date he would have been about 25 years of age. 
This inn is said to have been on Chopmist hill, on the 
Brooklyn pike. There appears to have been a large 
movement of settlers into Scituate between the years 
1755 and 1774, as the census shows but 1,813 inhabit- 
ants in the former year, and 3,601 in the latter, an in- 
crease of over 98 per cent in the 19 years. Possiblv 
this was the date of the opening of Hope furnace, which 
would have brought in quite a few settlers. 

On April 6th. 1759'', he bought a tract of land from 
Reuben Hopkins and Jonathan Aldrich, on the west 
side of Round Hill river (the Dolly Cole brook) near 
where it empties into the Ponaganset. Round Hill is 
the hill west of and adjoining Chopmist. and this tract 
must have been we.sterly on the pike, or near it, on 
which he was then living. This location is now in the 
Town of Foster. 

In August of the same year he purchased a fifty 
acre right in common land from Richard Brown. This 
was followed by the purchase on February 19th, 1760, 
of thirty acres from William Wilkin.son. This tract is 
de.scribed as follows: bounded on the north by land be- 

4. Sec Census for 1774 and 17!)0 in Appendix. 

5. Heaman's Historical Address, IS76. pane 36. 

6. N"li-s on Scituate. compiled l>y Cyrus Walker. 



WILLIAM WEST 



longing to the heirs of Joseph Wilkinson, on the east 
by land of John Hulet, on the south by land of Bernard 
Haile. and on the west by land belonging to the heirs 
of John Hopkins. This made three pieces of land that 
William West had bought in Scituate in less than a 
year. 

On March 27th. 1761". he purchased the tract that 
became his homestead, and which is known even today 
as the '-Big House Farm." This tract consisted of 500 
acres, and was purchased of John Hulet who describes 
the property as "the same farm on which William 
We.st now liveth." and "is all that farm that I, the said 
grantor, purchased of Capt. John Hopkins, and part of 
that lot of land that I, the said grantor, purchased of 
Richard Steere and Peter Cook." 

The eastern part of this tract, some 200 acres, be- 
ing the part that Hulet bought of Stephen Hopkins, was 
the 150 acres selected by Major William Hopkins, in 
May. 1705, and fifty acres that he selected soon after, 
probably at the second division of the Providence Pro- 
prietors, being the purchase right of Thomas Suckling. 

As the deed from Hulet states that this is the 
"same farm on which William West now liveth," he 
must have removed from his Chopmist hill location 
to some point on this tract, previous to the date of the 
deed, which was March 27th, 1761. 

He paid for this 500 acres forty thousand pounds 
in current bills of the colony, of the "Old Tenor," a 
price that Beeman says is "not to be accounted for, 
except we admit the great depreciation of the cur- 
rency." At the same (ime John Hulet bought 230 
acres in the same locality for which he paid but 1,800 
Spanish milled dollars, or about $8 per acre. Walker 
says of the transaction: "At first glance this .strikes one 
as a fabulous price, but on further examination appears 
quite reasonable. Beeman's conjecture as to the depre- 

7. Beaman. paite 24. Walker's Notes on Scituafe. 



WILLIAM WEST 



ciivtion of the paper currency was correct, as a little 
examination would have revealed to him. As fixed by 
statute the value of a Spanish milled dollar was, in 
1761, equivalent to six pounds and ten shillings in the 
"Old Tenor" currency. With this light to guide us we 
find that the actual co.st was $6,153.85, or $12.31 per 
acre." 



With a house full of growing boys and girls and 
three slaves, William West during the next few years 
was busily engaged in opening up his farm, which in- 
cluded stock raising and the operation of a dairy, and 
marketing its products. He is said to have kept one 
hundred milch cows, besides numerous oxen, horses 
and sheep. Scituate was noted for a very fine breed of 
horses, equalling those for which, at later date, Ver- 
mont gained fame. 

It was not unusual for him to take 1,000 to 1,500 
pounds of cheese to Providence at one time"*. This was 
done over the rocky, hilly roads, by ox-teams. The 
care of the milk from a hundred cows; the washing, 
carding, spinning, and weaving of the wool from his 
large flock of sheep, kept his many boys and girls busy, 
and there could have been but little idling amidst such 
surroundings. From the occupations that they follow- 
ed when grown, it would appear that the boys remain- 
ed farmers, and that the girls married farmers, all re- 
maining true to their early training. 

But it must not be taken for granted that it was 
"all work and no play" in their lives, or that there were 
no pleasures in such homes. Far from it. Almost ev- 
ery daughter had her favorite horse, and there was the 
best of hunting for the boys, gatherings at their own 
home and at those of other young people, with an oc- 
casional trip to Providence, twelve miles away. Nuts. 
apples, cider, pop-corn, and maple-sugar making in its 

8. Beaman, paKe 26. 



WILLIAMWEST 8 

season, aided in entertaining their own household of 
children, as well as those of the neighbors. William 
West was not, so far as known, a member of any 
church, but was a man whom his neighbors honored, 
and who, through his liberality, both in politics and re- 
ligion, acquired many friends. 

Schools were unknown in the community at that 
date, and children acquired their education from their 
parents, or an occasional private tutor. It is probable 
that some one of the rooms in the big house was used as 
a school room, with a private teacher in charge during 
some months of the year, probably in the winter. 

As an evidence of William West's popularity and 
the esteem in which he was held by his neighbors, he 
had been a resident of Scituate but two years when he 
was elected as Deputy from that township, (each 
country township being entitled to two Deputies in the 
Colonial Legislature) a position to which he was elected 
twelve times, as follows-': 1760, 1761, 1766, 1768, 1770, 
1771, 1773, 1776, 1779, 1780, 1784 and 1785. He was 
also selected as the Moderator of the town of Scituate 
twice in 1765, elections being held semi-annually, and 
he held the office of ju.stice of the peace in 1774, 1775 
and 1776. 

P'rom 1760 until 1790 William West was intimate- 
ly connected with the political and social life of Scitu- 
ate and Rhode Island. To the many public offices he 
held no salary was attached, and from his activity 
throughout the Revolutionary period, it is evident that 
he served his country from patriotic motives alone, and 
when and wherever he could be of most service. 

In 1775'" he built the "big house" on his home 
farm, a building that is still standing in a good state of 

9. Beaman's list, appendix paite 2: R. I. Colonial Records, Vols. 6, 7, 
R. 9 and 10. 

10. Beaman, patte 25. says: "In 1775 he (William West) put up the 
largest and most showy house that had ever been erected in Scituate. Mr. 
Welcome Arnold, who died some twenty years aito. was at the raising of this 



WILLIAMWEST 9 

preservation, showing the choice quality of the material 
used and hiph Krade of workmanship. The wrought 
nails with which the clapboards were nailed to oak 
studding are holding as tightly today as when they 
were first placed, illustrating well the difference be- 
tween the wrought nails of that day and the machine- 
made product of the present. 

The half-tones of the big house, presented here- 
with, give several views of this remark-'ble building. 
It was built after the then most improved style of coun- 
try houses, with a gambrel roof, wide and ornamented 
front door, r.nd framed with everlasting oak. Evident- 
ly William We.st had this house planned :'fter the best 
styles in coloni.nl architecture and no exnen.se ws 
spared in its erection. 

It faces the south and, standing on a ?teep side hill 

house, and used often to speak of the Kreat Katherinir and interest of the 
oecasion. Liquors of all sorts were furnished, but while rum was very plenti- 
ful there was a choice kind of wine, of which the people were only permitted 
to take a little. This house is on the Providence and Hartford turnpike, (an 
error of Beeman's ; it is on the Providence and Brooklyn pike. — Ed.) three 
miles west of the villase of North Scituatc. It is a Kambrel-roofed house of 
two stories as it fronts the road, and of four stories on the end openinK to 
the east, includinir the basement and the attic story. The rooms in the house 
are very spacious, and the attic seems as larce as many meetinK houses, it 
heinc all in one room. It was quite a museum, with old fashioned looms, 
spinning wheels, chests of drawers and other articles, when I saw it. A 
very interestinK place is this house, built by Lieut. Gov. William West, co- 
eval with our Centennial year: * • • I rather think that not a 
few rebels were quartered there at times in the Revolution, and seditious 
conversation indulved in. and even rebellion openly talked of. and schemes de- 
vised aKainst the British troops and vessels. I don't see why that house, 
built on the premises where Gov. Hopkins and Commodore Eseck Hopkins 
were born, should not be placarded, these centennial days, with the noble and 
Iiatriotic words of Rhode Island statesmen and heroes as is the case today with 
the Old South Church in Boston. The old house was raised and built by pat- 
riotic men who knew how to handle the musket and the sword, and doubt- 
less did. most of them, serve in the American army and navy. If the old 
folks have Kone to their reward in heaven they have left a memorial of 
their day, in this edifice, and may it stand a century longer." 





The front door, being a good illustration of the front door, 
of the best of the old Colonial homes. The entire work is still in 
a good state of preservation. The clapboards are those originally 
placed on the house in 1775. 



WILLIAMWEST 11 

or rocky projection, it has three full stories and a large 
attic on the east side, while showing but two stories in 
height on the front or south side. The attic is as large 
as a public hall, and when visited by the writer in 1911, 
it contained many old spinning wheels, looms, etc., re- 
minders of bygone days. 

One peculiar feature of the basement story on the 
east is that it is hewn out of the granite rocks on the 
west side, and one has but to step into a room on that 
side to draw water from the well, which is sunk in the 
rocks, and in which the water rises to near the level of 
the floor. On the north side of this basement is a cir- 
cular hole dug in the rock, around which are steps lead- 
ing down a short distance to the water, but just above 
the water are rows of shelves cut into the granite, on 
which, it is claimed, choice wines were stored. 

The fire place in this basement is very wide and 
deep, and the crane is of such heavy iron that it would 
support a kettle three feet in diameter. Just what this 
large lower room, with its immense fire place was used 
for, is now mere conjecture. But fronting as it does 
upon the lower slope on the east .side ot the house, it 
would be very convenient for many household pur- 
poses. 

The front door presents a study in colonial archi- 
tecture that would be interesting if followed up, as it 
is but an example of many that may yet be found in the 
better class of old homes throughout the New England 
States. The sunburst effect over the door is one not 
often met with ; the pillars, however, are quite com- 
mon. The side supports in imitation oc stone, with 
arching and keystone, also, are rarely seen. 

Like all old farm houses, there were various ad- 
ditions on the rear, probably used as wash rooms, for 
milk and cheese rooms, apple storage, wagon shed, and 
nearby the hen house and barns. Everything was close 



WILLIAMWEST 13 

to the house, and all c-onveniently arran.ucd to do the 
work with as few steps as possible. 

This was the house in which this leadiiiK character 
of Scituate, and all Rhode Island, met his many politi- 
cal friends, planned with them for the activities of the 
Rhode Island forces, to secure means and material to 
carry on the war, and, it is rumored, joined hands with 
others in the fitting out of privateers. If the old build- 
ing could speak, it could undoubtedly tell an interest- 
ing .story of these meetings, and of many others where 
pleasure took the place of busine.ss, for William West 
was a sportsman as well as a statesman, and in those 
days Scituate was well stocked with bear. deer, squir- 
rels, and other varieties of game, and it is .stated that 
many prominent citizens used to visit that section to 
hunt, among which Beeman names Governor Fenner. 
James Aldrich, William West, Joseph Wilkinson, John 
Hulet, Richard Brown, and others. In view of the fre- 
quent visits of the governor and other prominent poli- 
ticians to the neighborhood on these hunting trips, it 
may be concluded that when the hunt '.vas over, the 
mistress of the big house, and her daughters, were 
promptly on hand to dispense its hospitality, and that 
many political schemes were then and there concocted. 
The inns of that date were the centres at which 
the local, state and colonial news was gathered and dis- 
seminated. And that of William West undoubtedly 
was no exception. In fact from his rapid rise in author- 
ity in Scituate, he must have been, from the first, a 
leader in the community. 

It has been stated that the War of the Revolution 
really began in 1763, and Rhode Island was one of the 
first colonies to actively object to the various oppre.ssive 
acts of the Home Government in London. The citizens 
of Rhode Island have always claimed that the first of- 
fensive act of the patriotic colonists was the seizure 



WILLIAM WEST 14 

and destruction of the British revenue cutter Gaspee, 
in Narragansett bay, on June 10th, 1772. This daring 
deed was but an illustration of the sentiment and feel- 
ing in Rhode Island from 1768 until the outbreak of 
the war in 1774. A historian has characterized it as 
"the first bold, overt, organized stroke of the Revolu- 
tion." 

That William West was even then taking a prom- 
inent part in matters pertaining to the safety and pro- 
tection of the colonies, is shown by his appointment in 
September, 1774", to serve on a "Committee of Cor- 
respondence" for the town of Scituate, to meet with 
the committees of the neighboring towns, and in Sep- 
tember, 1774, he was chosen with others as a committee 
relative to the Boston blockade. For seven years, dur- 
ing the period from 1760 to 1773, inclusive, he had 
been the Deputy for Scituate, and was the Justice of 
the Peace for the town in 1774, therefore it would be 
quite in line with his public work that he should have 
been thus chosen. 

From that time on until 1790, William West was 
one of the most distinguished men in public life in the 
state, especially representing his home town of Scitu- 
ate. The numerous titles which he acquired durin;jr 
these years will, in themselves, give some idea of the 
work he was engaged in. and his standing in Scituate 
and throughout the state. 

He was a Deputy for 12 years in the Colonial Legis- 
lature; a Moderator for the town; a Justice of the 
Peace; Colonel of the .3rd R. I. Regiment; Brigadier 
General of the Rhode Island Militia; Brigadier General 
of the Providence County Brigade ; Member of the 
Council of War for the State; Deputy Governor; and 
one of the Justices of the Superior Court ol Judicature. 

II. R. I .Colonial Records. Vol. 7. iWKe 2H.3. 



WILLIAM WEST 



Court of Assize, and General Gaol Delivery. Besides 
these official positions, he was often chosen to head 
committees connected with the prosecution of the war, 
or appointed individually to carry out war measures'^. 
The following extract from Beeman is an illustra- 
tion of the work he was thus called upon to do, and ex- 
hibits the patriotic spirit of the town and the confidence 
of the citizens in Colonel West. It reads as follows: 
"At a Town Meeting held April 28th. 1777, it was 
Voted that Col. William West be appointed to use the 
utmost of his endeavors and abilities, by giving direc- 
tions to his under-officers, as well as using his influ- 
ence otherways. to raise soldiers by enlisting the num- 
ber of men assigned to be raised in this town, by Act 
of Assembly aforesaid." On May 5th following, he 
was chosen chairman of a committee "to prepare and 
divide into classes the male inhabitants of the town, 
liable to bear arms,"'^ seemingly somewhat of a select- 
ive conscription such as our Government adopted in 
raising the great National Army in 1917. 

Numerous and important must have been the meet 
ings held in the "big house," and the gatherings there 
in the wilds of Scituate undoubtedly included many of 
of the statesmen and army and navy officers of the 
State. It was a prominent and well known building 
the residence of one of the state's leaders, but twelve 
miles from Providence, in a community whose patriot 
ism was above question, yet .so secluded in the wilder 

. Vols. 



7. H, :• and 10. Hcitma 
al Army. Beaman's Hii 
Scituate. Smith's Civi 
newspapers. The Col 



■ appointments see Colonial Recor<ls o 
storical ReKister of the OfTicera of th 

Address with Appendix. Walker's Notes on 
Military List of R. 1.. and contemporary R. I. 
Records have many items relative to William 
;o mention ; for instance. Volume 8 has reference 

174. 201. 20'l, -221. 2>\. :!<(0. 493. .i29. 644 and 



WILLIAM WEST 



16 



ness that it would be a most fitting meeting place for 
the "rebels." as the patriots were then called. 

In the meantime his wife and children carried on 
the e.xtensive farm work, did their part in preparing 
the wool and weaving the cloth from which they made 
blankets and garments for the Scituate troops and to 
clothe themselves, and silently co-operated in the great 
work that was to bring into the world a new nation. 
One or more of the boys volunteered early in the war, 
John, as shown by his pension record, having lived in 
Scituate when first called into service, the date not 
given. '^ He further states that he enlisted in Novem- 
ber, 1776, in Captain Stephen Kimball's company of 
R. \. Militia for one year. He was in the battle of 
Rhode Lsland in July, 1778, having enlisted in the spring 
of that year, for seven months, in Captain Jonathan 
Hopkins' company, Colonel Livingston's regiment from 
New York. There might have been other sons in the 
army, but of this there is no record. 

Another reason for the patriot leaders' meeting at 
the home of General West, might have been that it was 
within seven or eight miles of Hope Furnace, where 
cannon and balls were being made for the army and 
navy. This furnace, like many others scattered about 
the country at an early day, secured its ore from near- 
by workings, and made various articles of rough iron- 
ware for the early settlers. But Hope Furnace was 
more than a mere melting pot; it made anchors, and 
bored out the cannot that were cast, so that they left 
there in a completed condition. Rufus Hopkins bought 
an interest in this furnace in 1766, and took charge of 
it. It must have furnished a goodly number of cannon, 
which were used not only in the army, but on the nu- 
merous privateers that were fitted out by Rnode Island 
citizens. 

14. U. S. Pension Files, pen.sion applied for 1832. 



WILLIAMWEST 17 

In the year 1775 the Governor appointed Eseck 
Hopkins as General in command of troops to be raised 
for the defense of the shores of Narragansett Bay, and 
Colonel West was appointed second in command. '•'^ In 
October of that year he was appointed by the General 
Assembly on the Committee to procure muskets for the 
use of the Continental Army, and to enquire concern- 
ing cannon for the use of the Colony."' 

The military history, and account of the positions 
held at this time by Colonel West are somewhat con- 
fused in the records handed down to us. Coincident 
with his appointment as second in command to General 
Hopkins is the statement, in the Colonial Records, that 
he was, in 1775, appointed Brigadier General of the 
Rhode Island Militia, and served until 1777. He re- 
signed this position on January 20th, 1776. but this re- 
signation does not appear to have been accepted until 
January, 1777, when, owing to there being two Brig- 
adier Generals of the Rhode Island Militia to take com- 
mand, he was dismissed from the service, and given a 
vote of thanks by the General Assembly. Informatir.u 
relative to this appointment is also found in Heitman's 
Historical Register of the Officers of the Contintnl.il 
Army. 

In May, 1776, he was appointed Colonel of the 3rd 
Regiment of Providence County Militia,'" which po- 
sition he appears to have held during the years 1776. 
1777, and 1778. It is quite probable that the rank of 
Brigadier General of the Rhode Island Militia was more 
honorary than otherwise, and that his position as 
Colonel of the Providence County Regiment did not 
conflict with his higher rank as Brigadier General, and 

15. Beaman. pake 25. 

16. R. 1. Colonial Record.i. Vol. 7. 

17. R. I. Colonial Records. Vols. 7 and X. and Smith's Civil and Military 



WILLIAMWEST 18 

which was abolished because there were two officers 
of the same grade, with work for but one. As the ap- 
pointment by the Governor, in 1775, of Colonel West as 
second in command to Hopkins, does not appear to 
have carried with it any title, it is possible that this 
was a Brigadier General's position, as Hopkins is list- 
ed as a General, with West second in command. 

However, these were not the only positions Colo- 
nel West was called upon to fill during the strenuous 
days of 1776. In February of that year he was appoint- 
ed by the General A.ssembly on a committee for the 
town of Scituate to procure arms and accoutrements 
for the use of the Colony,'^ and in December of the 
.same year, with General Vamum. he was appointed by 
the General As.sembly to assist Brigadier Fr.incois Lel- 
lorquis DeMalmedy in the plans of the latter for forti- 
fying the state. '^ Beeman states that on January 12th, 
1776. Governor (probably General) We.st sends an 
order from headquarters to Captain Knight for nine 
privates and a commissioned officer, for fatigue duty. 

Page 467 of the Colonial Records. Vol. 7, for that 
year states that General West had arrested spies, etc.. 
and states the action taken by the General Assembly 
relative thereto. In December. 1776, the General As- 
sembly voted that Generals Varnum and West be re- 
quested to forward such works .... and get 
men and supplies. 

In April, 1777, he was appointed by the General 
Assembly for the town of Scituate, to advance £2.024 
for bounties. 20 The same month he was appointed by 
the General Assembly to procure blankets from the 
town of Scituate for the use of the Continental troops.-' 

IS. R. I. Colonial RecordB. Vol. 7. 

19. R. I. Col. Records. Vol. 8. 

20. R. I. Col. Records. Vol. 8. paire 201. 

21. R. I. Col. Records. Vol. 8. 



WILLIAMWEST 19 

In May of that year he was appointed Governor's As- 
sistant, 22 and during the same month, chairman of a 
committee for the town of Scituate to ascertain the 
number of effective soldiers wanting to complete the 
Continental battalion then being raised by the state. 2-' 
He was also made the choice of the General Assembly 
for 7th Assistant in the House.-' 

It will be noted that he was a Deputy in 1776. and 
in the appointments he received in that year he is re- 
ferred to as Col. West, possibly from his having receiv- 
ed the appointment of Colonel of the Third Rhode Is- 
land Regiment in May of that year. However, he was 
not a Deputy in 1777 or 1778, probably feeling that he 
had enough public duties to attend to without being a 
member of the legislature, with its two regular sessions 
a year, and freciuently two additional ones. But he re- 
turned to the legislature again in 1779. 

In 1778 the General Assembly granted £.3,021.05 
to Col. West as bounties to his regiment in the late ex- 
pedition against Rhode Island,-''' it being a matter of 
record that General West's troops acted as reserves in 
that battle, and aided in covering the retreat. This is 
the only battle in which, as shown by the records. Gen- 
eral West took part. His son John, who was also in 
this battle, speaks of his father. General West, in his 
affidavit asking for a pension, as one of the generals 
engaged therein. 

Rhode Island seemed determined that he should 
be a brigadier general, for in May, 1779, in the officers 
chosen by the General Assembly, he was made Briga- 
dier General of the Providence County Brigade.-'^ This 

22. R. I. Col. Records, Vol. 8. 

23. Bcaman, pave 2.^. 

24. R. I. Col. Records, Vol. H. paKe 224. 

25. R. I. Col. Records. Vol. S. paKe 4S:!. 

26. R. I. Col. Records, Vol. 8. Smith's List, Vol. 1. 



WILLIAMWEST 20 

was but a little time before the British evacuated Rhode 
Island, and probably when the state was organizing 
additional forces to meet the invaders. 
IIBO 

In May, lOTO, he was made a member of the Coun- 
cil of War of the state of Rhode Island, 2' and in the 
same month was elected Deputy Governor, 2« serving 
from May. 1780. until May. 1781. With the close of 
this term of office came prospects of peace, and Gener- 
al West's connection with military affairs in Rhode Is- 
land apparently ended, but he was chosen a Deputy 
for Scituate for the years 1784 and 1785. Later on 
we find him leading the country people, as against the 
cities, when matters came up which divided these 
classes, and it appears that the country people were 
victorious and carried their point. 

But, like many another soldier and statesman who 
had given his time and money to his country's cause, 
he now found himself financially embarra.ssed. his 
farm neglected owing to his frequent enforced absences 
during the preceding six years, a currency that was 
worthless, having fallen from par, in 1776, to a point, 
in 1782. where it would not be accepted at all. and. as 
has been said by a prominent writer. "There are scarce- 
ly any evils or dangers, of a political nature, and spring- 
ing from political and social causes, to which a free 
people can be exposed, which the people of the United 
States did not experience during that period." 

Rhode Island suffered possibly more than other 
colonies because of her very poor financial .system, and 
the emission of a large sum of paper money, which was 
never redeemed. As the financial stress became great- 
er, the colony sought relief by issuing more paper 
money, thus adding fuel to the fire. 

27. R. I. Col. Records. Vol. 1). 

28. R. I. Col. Records. Vol. 9. paRe 62. 



WILLIAM WEST 



21 



Such were the conditions that confronted William 
West upon his return to the quiet retreat of his Scituate 
farm at the close of the war. However, he did not 
give up. but with the indomitable courage that had 
made him a leading figure through the dark days of 
the Colonies, he set about retrieving his badly broken 
fortune. 

In 1785 he sought relief from pressing financial 
embarra.ssment through securing from the legislature 
the privilege of conducting a lottery for the disposal 
of lands and personal property.-^ Messrs. Caleb Har- 
ris, Thomas Holden. James Aldrich and Daniel Owen, 
all prominent citizens, were appointed managers of 
this lottery. Such lotteries were quite common in that 
day, and were frequently authorized by the legislature. 
As has been stated in another portion of this memoir, 
some 1,950 acres of land, with cows, horses, oxen and 
sheep, were disposed of in this lottery. 

There are traditions in Rhode Island that ^^'illiam 
West was also interested in privateering, which was 
one of the most lucrative busine.sses of that maritime 
colony, relative to which it is stated that in less than 
five months in 1776, there were commissioned from 
Rhode Island sixty-five privateers. Fortunes were 
often made on one trip of these vessels, but again for- 
tunes were lost with the loss of the vessels and cargo, 
and it is stated in the tradition connecting William 
West with this business, that he lost two vessels with 
cargoes, which still further damaged him financially. 

But Rhode Island was not yet through with the 
public services of William West. He was elected as 
one of the Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature, 
Court of A.ssize, and General Gaol Delivery, and .serv- 
ed during the years 1787, 1788 and 1789.-"' This 

29. R. I. Col. Records, Vol. 10, and Walker's Notes on Scituate. 

30. R. I. Col. Records, Vol 10 



WILLIAMWEST 22 

closed his public career, and from thence on William 
West's life was one filled with disappointments and 
failures. 

He could not recover the ground lost through de- 
preciation of the currency and his absence from his 
farm and business, and by 1792 his affairs had become 
so involved that he was forced to sell his home farm, 
which was done on July 19th. 1792. to his four sons-in- 
law. Jeremy Phillips of Gloucester. Job Randall and 
Gideon Smith of Scituate. and Joseph Baltey of War- 
wick, taking from them a bond of defeasance. s' At 
the time this sale was made, certain claims were being 
pressed against General West which he contended were 
unjust, and which he stated that he would never pay. 

This bond was never redeemed. It was trans- 
ferred by General West on the 10th of March. 1801. to 
Job Randall, who was given in that transfer an un- 
limited power of attorney to transact all business con- 
nected with the property as though it were his own.^^ 
From a reading of this bond it will be seen that there 
was then an execution in force against William West 
for the sum of $1,360. in favor of Benjamin Talbot, 
and that there were al.so various notes due and payable 
to William West, which the parties to the bond agreed 
to collect, being secured for any expenses they might 
incur in so doing by this bond of defeasance. 

This bond and its subsequent assignment, though 
executed in 1792 and 1801 respectively, were not re- 
corded until June 21st, 1809. It is stated by some of 
William West's descendants that ho never realized any- 
thing further from this property, which naturally en- 
gendered hard feelings. His sons and daughters had 
by this time married, and lived in homes of their own, 

31. Sec Bond of Defea>ancc in Apppnilix. 

32. Sec Transfer of Ilon.l of nofcKsanc- in AMicn.ln. 



WILLIAMWEST 23 

and William West, now over seventy years of age, 
broken in fortune and deserted by friends, passed the 
remainder of his days in poverty. 

At one time he was incarcerated in the Providence 
jail for some time for debt, imprisonment for debt be- 
ing a common thing in those days. He said that the 
claims against him were unjust and that he would die 
in jail before he would pay them. Mary West, daugh- 
ter of Samuel, son of General West, who married Peleg 
Angell, stated that she rode to Providence regularly 
each week to visit her grandfather while he was in jail, 
carrying things to him. 

Just when he was released, or how, is not ascer- 
tainable. However, he passed his last days at the resi- 
dence of his son Samuel, and the daughter Mary, above 
spoken of, .states that she cared for him during his last 
illness. This son Samuel lived on a north and south 
road which is, in a direct line, about two miles from the 
big house. This north and south road crosses the 
Brooklyn pike on Chopmist hill, and by this road it is 
about three miles and a half from the General West 
homestead to that of his son Samuel. The old house 
of the latter was torn down some years ago. 

Just when William West died is not known. Bee- 
man stated, in his address in 1876,-''' that "it occurred 
about 60 years ago," and that Elder Westcott attended 
the funeral. This would make the date about 1816. 
According to the .statements of relatives who attended 
the funeral, his grand daughter Mary We.st being 
among them, he was buried at a point near his old 
home, where there are three unidentified graves, said 
to be those of William West, his wife, and a son. This 
spot is diagonally opposite from the big house in a 
southwesterly direction, on a little eminence that ap- 
pears to have been used as a family burial place, and 

33. Beaman. paBe 26. Walker's Notes on Scituate. 



WILLIAMWEST 24 

which includes the Ki'ave of at least one other person. 
There is naught but rough pieces of granite, standing 
at the head and foot of these three graves, to mark 
them. And there are none but similar field stones to 
mark the last resting place of William Hopkins and his 
wife, Ruth, the father and mother of Stephen Hopkins. 

Of the personal appearance of William West. Bee- 
man says: "He was a man rather above the middle 
height, a bony sinew man, long favored, with a promi- 
nent nose." The prominent nose, the so-called West 
nose, has been a characteristic feature of many of his 
descendants. 

William West was a man of great activity and 
energy, of a generous and friendly disposition, and a 
leader among men. Though a sportsman as well as 
statesman, he was neither dissolute or di-ssipated, but 
such a man as his neighbors and the citizens of the 
state often honored by placing in positions of conse- 
quence. His associates in public life were of the gov- 
erning classes, and he ranked high among them, as is 
shown by the many positions of trust and importance 
that he was so often called upon to fill. He was an in- 
defatigable worker, strong for the right as he saw it, 
willing to sacrifice self for the public good, a man of 
many sides, and one of those "thousand Caesars, whose 
labors for their country scarce outlive them half a 
year." 




est, taken from the 



Tlie big house from the s 
ground on the south side of the road, so as to show the 
graves with field stones at their heads, these being the 
stones in the immediate foreground, at the left, middle and 



WILLIAMWEST 26 

APPENDIX 



FRANCIS WEST. 

(1) "Francis West, a house carpenter by trade, being a single 
man, invited by a Mr. Thomas, of Marshfield, Mass., left the town 
of Salisbury in England, and came to New England and settled in 
Duxbury, Mass., and married Margery Reeves, by whom he had 
five children, viz: Samuel, Thomas, Peter, Mary and Ruth." So 
wrote Judge Zebulon West (1707-1770), a great grandson of the 
emigrant, who probably learned these facts from his father, also 
named Francis ( I ()69-1731 ) , who lived with the emigrant in Dux- 
bury until he grew up. 

"Francis West married Margaret Reeves, in Duxbury, Feb. 
27th, uy.id, and died in that town Jan. 2nd, 1692, aged 8(5. He 
is spoken of as a carpenter in the Duxbury records, and the Ply- 
mouth colony records show that he made a pair of slocks for the 
town of Duxbury in 1640. In 1640 and 1642 he was a member 
of the Grand Jury; in 1642 he bought a house and land of Richard 
Beare for eighteen pounds, in Duxbury (Millbrook); and in 1643 
he was on the list of those able to bear arms. He was admitted 
freeman in Plymouth colony in 1656. In 1658 he was a surveyor 
of highways in Duxbury; constable in 1661; and in 1662, '69, '74, 
'78, '80 and '81 was a member of the 'Grand Enquest.' His 
children, probably born in Duxbury, were Samuel, born in 1643; 
Dr. Thomas, born in 1646; Peter, date not given, probably about 
1647-8; Mary, date not given, probably 1649-50; and Ruth, born 
in 1651." The above is taken from "Francis West of Duxbury, 
Mass., and Some of His Descendants," published in the April, 1906, 
New England Historical and Genealogical Register, by Edward E. 
Cornwall, M. D. This valuable article, however, touches upon but 
23 of the numerous West families who trace their ancestry back 
to Francis West, of Duxbury. 

Justin Winsor in his History of Duxbury, compiled from 
the old records, gives on page 22 a list of surveyors for Duxbury, 
among which are, for 1658, Francis West; for 1671, Samuel West; 
for 1674, 1677 and 1680, Peter West. On page 34 under the head- 
ing "Cedar Swamp" is the following: "This swamp was in what 
was called the 'Major's Purchase,' near Mattakesett ponds." Oc- 
tober 14th, 1672, it was divided into seven lots which were 
distributed to proprietors. In lot 2, with Partridge, Delano, 
Alden and Soule, was Francis West. In 1671 Francis West and 
Samuel Seabury were appointed by the Court to look after ex- 
drinking in "ordinaries." 



WILLIAMWEST 27 

CENSUS OF 1774 AND OF 1790. 

Below will be found a compilation of the census of 1774 
and of 1790, so far as relates to the families of William West, of 
Scituate, and his son John, the great grandfather of the compiler 
hereof, G. M. West, together with other facts taken from said 
registrations throughout the state, bearing upon the West families. 



CENSUS OF 1774. 

This census was ordered at the session of the General .\s- 
sembly of the "Governor and Company of the English Colony of 
Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, in North America, begun 
and holden in Newport on the first Wednesday in May, in the year 
1774, and fourteenth of the reign of His most sacred Majesty 
George the Third, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain," 
which General Assembly further arranged the plan of the enumer- 
ation and appointed the enumerators. 

Rufus Hopkins, who was the first child of Stephen Hopkins, 
was appointed to take the "account" in Scituate. He was 47 years 
old at that time. 

There were then but two West families in Scituate, William 
West, who lived a short distance west of his "Big House Farm," 
and John West, his son, who lived near him on the same highway. 
Both then dwelt on the east side of Chopmist Hill, on what is now 
known as the Brooklyn pike, the highway leading westward from 
North Scituate, over Chopmist Hill, and on to South Foster. 

William West's family shows the following enumeration: 
Head of family, William West; males above 16 years of age, in- 
cluding the head of the family, 4; males under 16, 3; females 
above 16, including wife, 3; females under 16, 4; slaves 2; total 16. 

As William West came from North Kingston to Scituate 
about 1758, sixteen years before this enumeration, and as there 
were 3 boys and 4 girls under 16 in 1774, it would go to show that 
these 7 children were born in Scituate, and the others in North 
Kingston. 

This census, taken the year before William West erected 
the big house, indicates that all his children and wife were then 
living at home, with the exception of his son .John, who was livinir 
near his father. 

John West's family is shown as follows: John West, head 
of family; no females above 16, which would indicate that his 
wife was dead, and that he was then a widower. Under 16 a boy 



WILLIAMWEST 28 

and trirl are enumerated, makinK three in the family, father and 
two children. Family records show that his son Freeman was born 
in Scituate, May 27th, 1773. 

The enumerator, a.s is the practice at the present day, ap- 
pears to have followed alonK the highway, and in this manner 
William West was first reached, then his son John, who lived near 
him, and the list shows well known neighbors before and after 
passing these two families. 

The census of 1774 shows twenty-three families of Wests 
in Rhode Island divided among; the different counties and towns 
as follows: In Washington county, seven families, of which 2 were 
in the town of Hopkinton, 1 in Exeter, and 4 in Westerly; in New- 
port county, twelve families, 7 being in Newport, and 5 in Bristol; 
in Kent county, one, being in Warwick township; in Providence 
county, three families, 1 being in the town of Providence, and 2 
in the town of Scituate. 

CENSUS OF 1790. 

There were thirty-five families of Wests enumerated in 
Rhode Island in the census of 1790, seven being in Scituate. This 
was an increase of twelve in the state, and of five in Scituate. Of 
five, four, and possibly all, were sons of William West. 

In the William West neighborhood we find the following 
enumeration of Wests: Head of family, William West; two males 
above 16, including the head of the family; 1 male under 16; 6 
females, including wife, ages not given; 1 other person and 3 
slaves; a total of 13. 

Samuel West, head of family, 1 ; 1 female over 16, probably 
wife; and one male under 16; total 3. 

Hyram West, head of family; 2 females, ages not given; 
including head of family, total 3. 

William West, Jr., head of family, and one more male 
above 16; 3 females, including head of family, and two males 
under 16; a total of 7. 

Charles West, head of family; 1 female above 16, head of 
family, and one female under 16; a total of 3. 

Thomas West, head of family; five females, one head of 
family, and 1 male under 16; a total of 7. 

John West, head of family; 1 male above 16; h females 
under 16; 1 female, presumably wife, above 16, and four other 
females; a total of 12 



WILLIAMWEST 29 

Whether this John West had remarried, possibly a widow 
with children, as family tradition credits him with having done in 
1793, is not susceptible of proof by the census enumeration. 

Nor is it known that Thomas West was a son of William 
West. Beeman, who is the sole authority for the number and 
names of William West's children, gives only the following: Wil- 
liam, Charles, John, Samuel, Hiram, Elsie, Olive, Ellen, Sally and 
Hannah, ten in all. However, it is known that there was a daugh- 
ter Almy, or Amy, and there may have been other children, as 
Beeman is not considered positive authority upon this point, and 
the census enumeration do«s not settle the matter. 

Nor is the census absolute authority as to the wife and 
children. The enumeration included all who resided with the 
head of the family, and it was no unusual occurrence in that day 
for relatives of the husband or wife to be living with them. In 
fact history is filled with just such instances, William West, him- 
self, having passed his last days with his son Samuel, while Fran- 
cis West, the first of the family to land on the New England shores, 
lived with his son Peter during his old age. 



BOND OF DEFEASANCE GIVEN WILLIAM WESl 

Know all men by these presents that we, J.'iemiah Phillips, 
Job Randall, Joseph Battey and Gideon Smith — .>aid Phillips liv- 
ing in the town of Gloucester and Job Randall and Gideon Smith 
of Scituate, all three in the County of Providence, and Joseph Cat- 
tey, of Warwick, in the County of Kent, all in the State of Rhode 
Island, and am holdi-n and firmly bound and obliged unto William 
West, of Scituate, in the County of Providence, and State of 
Rhode Island, and yeoman, in the plane and full sum of three 
thousand five hundred dollars lawful silver money, the which sum 
we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and assign-, firmly by 
these presents, sealed with our seals and dated this 19th day of 
July, in the year of our Lord, 1792. The condition of this obliga- 
tion being such that, whereas, we, the said, Jeremiah, Job, Gideon 
and Joseph, the day and year abovesaid received a deed of bargain 
and sale of the said William West, of his, the said William West'.; 
homestead farm, containing five hundred acres of land, be th- 
same more or less, and is the same farm said West purchased of 
John Hulet. Nevertheless it is to be by these presents und.M- 
stood, that in case and upon condition that, if the said William 
West shall do well and indemnify and save him-^elf, the said Jere- 



WILLIAMWEST 30 

miah, Job, Gideon and Joseph for all the money they shall or ha\r 
advanced for the said West and for all the cost and trouble and 
expense they, the said Jeremiah, Job, Gideon and Joseph shall be 
put to in undertaking: the said West's business, by settling one 
certain execution in favor of Benjamin Talbut amounting to thir- 
teen hundred and sixty six dollars and nine pence and also for 
undertaking and receiving a number of notes and amounts against 
the following persons, to-wit: — against Peter Phillips of North 
Kingston, Stephen Smith of Bristol, John Smith of Johnston, Capt. 
DeWolf of Bristol, Benjamin Foster and four other notes in said 
Foster's hands, Reuben Hopkins of Scituate, Benjamin Joy of 
Conn., Ephriam Bowen of Providence. 

Now be it hereby fully known, that if I. the saitl William 
West, his heirs, executors and administrators shall and do well 
and truly pay and save himself and fully indemnify the said Jere- 
miah, Job, Gideon and Joseph the money advanced as aforesaid, 
then in that case we the said Jeremiah, Job, Gideon and Joseph 
are by these presents held and do hereby promise and engage, for 
ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, to reconvey 
the abovesaid farm back unto the said William West, his heirs or 
assigns together with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging, 
in confirmation whereof of the within bond of defeasance we d<> 
hereunto set our hands and seals this 19th day of July in the year 
of our Lord 1792. 

WILLIAM WEST, 
JEREMIAH PHILLIPS, 
JOB RANDALL. 
GIDEON SMITH. 
JOSEPH BATTEY 
(Recorded June 21, 1809. — Book 11, Scituate Records.) 



TRANSFER OF BOND OF DEFEASANCE BY WILLIAM 
WEST TO JOB RANDALL 

Whereas I, William West, on the 19th day of July, A. 0. 
1792, sold unto Jeremiah Phillips, Job Randall, Joseph Battey 
and Gideon Smith my homestead farm and gave them a warrantv 
deed of the same and at the same time the said Jeremiah, Job, 
Gideon and Joseph gave me a bond of defeasance back respecting 
said deed, all of which will fully appear by having reference to 
said bond and deed, now I, the said William West, have sold, con- 
signed and set over the above mentioned bond unto Job Randall 



WILLIAMWEST 31 

in the following manner, that is to say:-— Know all men by these 
presents, I, William West, of Scituate in the County of Providence 
in the State of Rhode Island, for and in consideration of the sum 
of one thousand dollars to me in hand paid by Job Randall of 
Scituate in the county and state aforesaid, the receipt whereof I 
do hereby acknowledge and hereby bargain, sell, assign, transfer 
and set over to the said Job Randall, his heirs, executors, admin- 
istrators and assigns the above mentioned bond and all sum and 
sums of money due, or to grow due thereon, with all my right, 
title and interest therein and in and to the lands or real estate 
therein described, to have and to hold the same to him, the said 
Job Randall, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, I 
hereby resigning and quitclaiming to him and them all my right, 
title and interest in the said lands, or real estate, and I, the said 
William West, do hereby constitute and appoint the said Job Ran- 
dall my attorney irrevocably in the premises, with power to prose- 
cute all necessary suits to final judgment, and the ?ame at his 
pleasure to compromise, accomodate, arbitrate and discharge, and 
I do, for myself, my heirs, executors and administrators, covenant 
with the said Job Randall, his heirs, executors, administrators and 
assigns, that I will, on request, at any time hereafter make all 
such further covenants, conveyances and assurances to the said 
Job as may be necessary, or may be advised, for the completely 
conveying and assigning to him all my right, title and interest in 
said bond or said real estate, and that I will forever warrant, 
save and defend the present title of said bond against the lawful 
claims and demands of all persons claiming by, from, or un<l("r 
me and in confirmation whereof I have hereunto set my hand 
and seal this 10th day of March, A. D. 1801. 

WILLIAM WEST. 
(Rec. Jan. 21, 1809.— Scit. Rec. Deeds, Bk. 11, p. 3.) 



WILLIAMWEST 32 



ADDITIONAL NOTES 



Genealogists differ as to who was the father of General 
William West, and the line of descent from Francis West (1). 
In this memoir the author has followed Dr. Cornwall, and family 
records. 

Miss Guild, of Providence, R. I., a very conscientious 
genealogist, differs in her views of this line of de;-cent, and gives 
the following as the result of her investigation : 

Beginning with Francis (1), of Duxbury, she lists the sec- 
ond generation as starting with a son Francis, rather than Peter, 
though Judge Zebulon West, tlrt grandson of Francis (U, names 
but three sons in the family, Samuel, Thomas and Peter, and two 
daughters. 

Miss Guild claims that William West, who married .Vbiah 
Sprague, was the son of this Francis (2), and not the son of 
Peter (2), as is claimed by others. She asserts that this William 
West was born in North Kingston on May 31st, 1681. She name; 
John West as the father of General William West, and states that 
this John West married Alice Sweet of North Kingston, .March. 
1730-31. Presumably, in following this line, John West would be 
the son of William West who married Abiah Sprague, though Mis; 
Guild does not so state. 

That the supposed eldest son of General William West, 
who was the author's great grandfather, was named John, is in- 
dicative proof of Miss Guild's claim, as family names are one of 
the strongest evidences in genealogical investigation. There is no 
proof as to order of birth of the children of General West. Bee- 
man gave them as follows William, Charles, John, Samuel, Hiram. 
Elsie, Olive, Ellen, Hannah and Sally, ten in all, but without in- 
formation as to the dates of birth of any. Miss Guild names 
eleven and places them as follows: Almy, William, Charles, John. 
Samuel, Hiram, Elsie, Eleanor, Sarah and Hannah, but gives no 
references as to recorded birth. Other records corroboate the 
number of children as being eleven or more. Ellen and Eleanor, 
and Sally and Sarah are probably variants of the same two names. 

The half-tones in this work are from photographs taken by 
Mr. W. E. Coldwell; some obtained through the kindness of Mrs. 
B. W. Page, of North Scituate, R. I., and from other sources, all 
being taken between IflOd and IT.O.'"). 



W 98 



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